Make Them Feel Something

I don’t often get choked up when I’m writing unless it’s a personal story about a person/ animal I know and love. I wrote one of those kinds of articles this week and was surprised to find that a great number of people could relate. It’s been one of my most shared articles on Horse Network so far. Many people commented that the article brought them to tears. This wasn’t necessarily my intention, but I did want readers to feel something. 

It’s an incredible yet humbling feeling to know that our words and stories have the power to touch people deeply. Of course, I’ve also written blog posts and articles which have resulted in angry comments (usually about barefoot–you might understand if you’re a horse person!) It comes with the territory though. Not everyone will agree with your ideas and beliefs--nor should we expect them to. 

Originally posted by cinema-boheme

But this is one of the reasons people read articles and books. Not only do they want to learn something (in some cases) and be entertained, but they want to feel something. Call it human nature, I guess, but we’re all looking for that one thread we can grasp onto–that thing which unites us all. Sure, we use our brains, but what drives many of our everyday actions are our hearts.

As writers and storytellers, our job is to latch onto this idea. There are many people who can write beautiful, well-crafted sentences. There are others who come up with brilliant story ideas. (I feel like I’m somewhere in the middle of both talents.) But the key to writing something people will tell their friends about is to evoke emotion. Make them laugh. Make them cry. Make them angry. Make them nostalgic. Or scare the bejeezus out of them. But make them feel something. 

Of course, this is easier said than done, but if we keep this in mind while writing, we’ll at least be headed in the right direction. 

And who ever said writing was easy, anyway? ;-)

Why I Write YA

A question was recently posed by someone on Twitter. It went something like this: If you're over the age of 25, why do you write YA? (that's young adult in bookspeak)

I immediately answered with a series of tweets. I love YA and have for some time, but the question was more difficult to answer than I thought. So today, I wanted to explore the answer to this question a bit more in a blog post.

Why do I really write YA, as opposed to children's books or adult books? Like many writers, I do my best thinking through my hands. So here goes. . .

I write YA because I love to read YA. Yes, I'm 40 years old, but a part of me will forever be seventeen. The angst, the love, the frustration, the confusion, and the excitement of a life stretching before me are memories clearly etched inside my brain. As I stated in one tweet--teenagehood is a pivotal time. One which I think sets many of us on the path to where we are today. Of course, we may be vastly different people than we were as teens, but our teen experiences are what set those changes in motion, most likely.

Originally posted by a-ni

I write YA because I can relate to kids that age. It's why I chose to teach middle schoolers--that awkward age between being a child and not-quite-adult. I'll probably always identify with the whole 'not fitting in' issue which is so common amongst this age. Nearly three decades later, I still don't feel like I belong in any particular group. Fortunately, I've learned to accept and embrace my uniqueness, and even learn to love the fact that I tend to go against the grain.

Originally posted by clowny69

I write YA because I believe reading is important, and I think it's especially important that teens have books they can relate to and love. Reading is a life skill. But it's also more than that--it's an escape, it's a passion, it's a way to connect with the world in ways you never considered before. I remember having students in class who didn't give a hoot about school or anything in it, but they diligently brought their copy of Twilight or Harry Potter to read every day. Speak what ill you may about these two books, but they got kids who'd previously read very little (voluntarily, at least) reading. They sparked a love for books that continued long afterward. I had many a discussion about Twilight with enthusiastic students. It was a common bond between us. For a moment, they saw me perhaps not as a teacher, but as a fellow reader and lover of teen fiction, like them. 

Originally posted by addictedtobookss

I write YA because these are the stories and characters which come to me. Sure, I've had a few ideas for younger or older protagonists, but the ones I've pursued with fervor have all featured teens. I guess you could say I'm just following what both my heart and brain tell me to write. 

Originally posted by har-rison-s

I think some believe that adults only want to write YA because we feel it's our duty to impart our knowledge on to the younger generation. Maybe this is true for some writers, but it's definitely not why I write YA. Yes, I may be twenty-five years older than my intended audience, but it's not my intent to teach them anything. Even as a teacher, I considered myself more of a lifelong learner than a wise educator who was bestowing the gift of my knowledge upon my students. I taught because I wanted to share my enthusiasm for learning. I wanted to share my love of science, grammar and writing. I wanted to share my love of reading.

Perhaps these are also reasons why I write YA. When we're passionate about something, it's only natural to want to share it with the world.

Need a Horse Editor?

Yeah, I know. Weird title. You're probably wondering why anyone would need a horse editor. 

But what I mean is if you're a writer who isn't overly versed in the wonderful world of equines, but want to include them in your book in some fashion, just know there will be hundreds of horsey know-it-alls who will scoff at your totally inaccurate horse scenes.

Okay, so maybe that’s a little harsh. But it’s true. I’ve put down many a book for this very reason. It’s not that I don’t want to read about little Amy trotting Sundance over the barrels at her Hunter Jumper show, it’s that I literally can’t. My brain just can’t function after trying to envision such a thing. (and if you don’t know what’s wrong with the above sentence, you definitely need a horse editor, ASAP!) 

Originally posted by gameraboy

But I still want horses in my book! you may be saying. And that’s totally fine. You don’t have to be a horse expert to write about horses. Just do your research! Better yet, hire a horse guru like me to edit your horse-centric scenes.

I plan to add this to my other editing packages on my website, but my intent is to offer a couple very reasonably-priced packages to authors who want accuracy when it comes anything horse-related in their book. 

And when it comes to needing a horse editor, here’s why I’m your gal: 

1.) I’ve had horses all my life. 

2.) I’ve done tons of research when it comes to horses. 

3.) I write freelance articles for horse publications on a weekly basis. I make it my business to know about horses. 

I haven’t decided exactly what I’ll charge for these packages quite yet, but I plan to do a “Basic” Horse Expert-Approved Package, which will only entail editing specific horse scenes, as well as a “whole book” package, which will include a basic beta read with comments/ edits on anything horse-related. 

As I previously stated, the fees will be very reasonable for both packages (but won’t include anything other than horse-specific editing). 

I’m really looking forward to doing doing this! Because if there’s anything I love as much as writing about horses, it’s reading about horses. Plus, I’ll be helping authors add another horse-accurate book into the world for everyone (including horse know-it-alls) to love. :-)